Remove the zest from 2 - 3 lemons. A lemon zester is a great tool for this project but you may also try using a vegetable peeler. Do not include the white pith because it is very bitter. Place peels inside a clean jar.

Add approximately 1/2 cup of vodka to your lemon zest. Make sure your peel is completely covered by the liquid (add more if not) and tightly seal your jar. Give it a nice shake and let concoction sit in a dark place for 4 - 8 weeks depending on how much patience you have (the longer it sits, the stronger the extract). Gently shake the mixture at least once a week to infuse the flavors.

When proper time has elapsed, strain your finished product and place inside a clean glass bottle. This will last for years! To make this infusion double strength, add another batch of lemon peel to your finished extract and repeat the process one more time.

I recycled an old extract bottle and pasted on a homemade label which you are more than welcome to use. Wouldn't this be a fun gift to give? To make it extra special, attach a recipe card (printed on plain card-stock) featuring your favorite dessert which utilizes lemon extract. Our printable Lemon Extract Gift Kit is found here which includes a vintage lemon extract label, matching gift card and recipe card.

“Good, old-fashioned ways keep hearts sweet, heads sane, hands busy.”

~ Louisa May Alcott

P.S. You may also be interested in making your own orange extract. Printable recipe, labels and gift tag for that project is found here.

If you enjoyed this project, we share 100+ more ideas on how to use up fruit scraps in our Ebook here! Happy kitchen-crafting, ladies!

What a great idea. I've got my first batch of vanilla extract in a bottle but it's not ready yet. Patience is very hard but I'm sure it will be worth it!I would love it if you shared this with Healthy Vegan Fridays, a blog hop co-hosted by 3 bloggers. I'm sure our readers would really enjoy this. You can submit a post from Friday to end of Tuesday: http://www.greenthickies.com/healthy-vegan-friday-30/

This is wonderful. Here in Phoenix, AZ, we are overrun with lemons in the winter. We often make limoncello using a similar process, so I could easily make some extract while I'm at it. So glad I saw this on the Homestead Barnhop.

I have made lemon and orange before. I also made mint but it doesn't smell like mint. I have not used it yet. I made almond also and I was disappointed in the smell of it too. Haven't tried it either. The first I made was the vanilla and was great. I have made 2 batches with vodka. I have 2 small batches going now with rum in one and bourbon in the other.

I am so glad I found your blog......I am not a "blog" person, but I have actually signed up to get you in my email...I love the content of your blog and will be going back and reading all the goodness that i have seen, It looks like that will take me some time :) Thank You for a nice and wholesome blog...very rare from what I have seen on others.....

Thank you for sharing this recipe. I have made vanilla extract and now want to make this. The zester I have has multiple holes on it, and grates in tiny pieces. Is the zester that you show better for this recipe? Thanks.

I am going to have to try this, I love lemon extract but have never made it before! Thanks for sharing your post on the HomeAcre Hop, I am going to feature it tomorrow! Hope to see you again tomorrow!-Nancy The Home Acre Hop

I thank you for commenting on my blog, because it allowed me to find yours. What a lovely and information blog you have! I am a nut for lemon, so I'll be trying this, and hope to try many more things as I'm your newest follower.

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Charlotte Mason Homeschool Series

Welcome! A little introduction… I am an old-fashioned, Bible-believing, wife to my "one and only" for 20 years, homeschooling mother, who embraces her role as "keeper at home". We live on a 25-acre prairie farm.For fun… my three main earthly weaknesses (in no particular order) are coffee, dark chocolate and hardcover books. What about you? My hope is that this blog will inspire you in the arts of homemaking, homeschooling and homesteading. Visit here for 10 random facts about me... Have a beautiful day! ~ JES

"The woman who makes a sweet, beautiful home, filling it with love and prayer and purity, is doing something better than anything else her hands could find to do beneath the skies. A true mother is one of the holiest secrets of home happiness. God sends many beautiful things to this world, many noble gifts; but no blessing is richer than that which He bestows in a mother who has learned love's lessons well, and has realized something of the meaning of her sacred calling."

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